Daddy Christmas

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  Chapter Four

  “We have to get married,” Matt said over dinner at Chili’s restaurant.

  Gretchen settled into her own corner of the brown leather booth. Even though she knew it was necessary, she fervently wished they were not having this conversation. She’d barely had time to get used to her own feelings on the matter, without dealing with his, too. Never mind the social implications! She angled her chin at him defiantly. “These are the nineties, Matt. No one has to get married anymore.”

  Matt rested his forearms on the ceramic-tiled tabletop. “I don’t care what is or is not politically correct, Gretchen. Every baby still needs a mom and a dad, whenever possible. And for you and me, it is possible for us to get married and give our child that.”

  Hope rose within Gretchen, but her innate common sense gave birth to a whole new round of worries. “Every baby also needs two parents who love each other dearly,” she said gently. Thinking about all she had dreamed of giving her child, and now would not be able to, she forced a smile. “We don’t fit that description, Matt,” she said, her voice laced with misery.

  He was silent. “I know it takes more than physical passion to make a marriage.”

  Gretchen knew that, too, since physical passion had abounded in her previous marriage almost to the end.

  “And I know this is all very sudden. But maybe with time...if we worked at it...we could...come to love each other.”

  Like brother and sister? Gretchen wondered, as she eyed him uneasily. That was not what she wanted, either. “Look, it’s decent of you to offer, but I know how you feel about rearing any more children. You were very clear about that in Colorado. You’ve been there. Done that. And now you’re actually looking forward to having an empty nest.”

  “So? That was before I fathered another child. This is now, when I have.”

  Gretchen knew what a chivalrous man Matt was at heart. That was one of the things she admired most about him. It didn’t mean she had to take advantage. She toyed with her bowl of southwestern vegetable soup. “I’m not going to force you into anything, never mind twenty-one years of parental responsibility.”

  Ignoring his plate of steak and fries, Matt fixed her with a brooding stare. “You wouldn’t be forcing me into anything. I’m volunteering, remember?”

  Just as he’d effortlessly stepped in to make love to her when the time was right. Ignoring the thrill the memory evoked, Gretchen lowered her gaze to the grilled chicken sandwich she’d ordered with her soup. “Duty makes a very poor substitute for love, Matt.”

  To her disappointment, Matt didn’t counter with an argument, but forked his salad purposefully. “At least let me give my child a name and be financially responsible,” he persisted.

  His proposal sounded simple on the surface, but Gretchen knew life had a way of becoming complicated, and quickly. What if the idea of having another child grew on Matt? What if Matt decided he did want a baby in his life again and didn’t want Gretchen and decided to try to take their baby away from her? Was she up for that? she wondered shakily.

  Gretchen forced herself to project some calm. “It’s not that simple, Matt,” she said cautiously, as the waiter returned to refill his iced tea and bring Gretchen a second glass of milk.

  “It could be,” Matt said as soon as their waiter had left again. “All you have to do is say yes.”

  Her pulse racing, Gretchen regarded Matt solemnly. She knew by the banked fires in his intense silver gray eyes that he wanted her. Perhaps more than just a lover now, but as the mother of his child. But was that enough? Could she ever be happy without commitment? Never mind being married to a man who was there only because he felt he had to be. “I want this baby, Matt. I didn’t plan to get pregnant. And the timing couldn’t be worse. But I also know this could very well be my only chance ever to have a baby. So for me it’s still a dream come true.”

  His gaze softened. He reached across the table and covered her hand with his, instantly suffusing her with warmth.

  “Despite the timing, despite the unexpectedness, I want this baby, too.”

  The feel of his hand on hers generated tingles of awareness and a melting sensation in her middle. Yearning to be in his arms again, making love, Gretchen frowned. “And yet, that fact aside, you act as if you feel every bit as ambivalent as I did at first,” she stated, tamping down her own growing wonder and joy.

  He flexed his shoulders, released her hand and returned to his dinner. “You have to admit it’s quite a shock.”

  “Tell me about it,” Gretchen commiserated. It seemed she had run the gamut of emotions since finding out. Elated one moment, terrified the next, while constantly wondering how she was going to manage the nine months ahead more or less alone. Wise or not, she realized she wanted to share this with Matt. And it was easy to understand why. They were going to have a baby. A baby who was part Matt, part her....

  “Marry me,” Matt insisted, his look gentle and persuasive. “Give it at least a year.”

  Gretchen sipped her milk, and found once again she was having trouble not succumbing to his wishes. Nevertheless, she had to be practical here. She met his eyes with trepidation. “And then what?” The last thing she needed was to fall in love with Matt and end up with a broken heart.

  Matt shrugged, his broad shoulders looking impossibly strong and wide beneath the soft corduroy of his shirt.

  “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll split amicably. You will retain full custody of our child. I’ll visit and pay child support.”

  He made it sound so easy. She knew it was much more complicated. “We could do all that without getting married.” Finished with her dinner, Gretchen pushed her plate away.

  “Yes.” His expression both restless and determined, Matt signaled for the check. “But this way, our baby will have the best start we can possibly give him or her.”

  * * *

  “YOU HAVEN’T answered me,” Matt said as he parked in front of her apartment building. Since they’d left the restaurant, she hadn’t said much at all. Which in turn gave him the feeling he had mishandled the proposal, that he should have courted her more first. But it was too late now for backtracking. He had already laid the option on the table. They might as well deal with it, and expediently.

  Gretchen unfastened her seat belt and turned toward him. Her face was clearly defined in the glow from the street lamps overhead. She seemed edgy and confused.

  “Do I have to decide tonight?”

  Matt blew out an exasperated breath. He rested an arm on the steering wheel. “What’s the point of waiting? We have all the information needed to make the decision.” Abruptly he had the feeling that if he let too much time elapse, she would lose her nerve, cut and run.

  Gretchen laid a gloved hand on the console between them. “I disagree. There’s a lot we still haven’t discussed, Matt,” Gretchen said, her lips forming a troubled moue.

  Matt slid a hand beneath her chin and tipped her face up to meet his. He had never seen her look more vulnerable. He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her. Sensing such a move would be interpreted as a pass, and an unwelcome one at that, he reined in his desire.

  “The only way I would ever want to marry you is if you were marrying me because you wanted to marry me, because you loved me, not just because we were going to have a baby together.” She shook her head in regret and released a tremulous sigh. “I don’t want a loveless marriage, Matt. I’ve already had that.”

  Matt hadn’t expected her to be so blunt, but now that she had laid her cards on the table he was glad she’d spoken her mind. The more honest they were with each other from the get-go, the easier this would be. “I don’t want a loveless marriage, either,” he said gently. “But there’s no getting around the fact you’re carrying my child. We have to do what is best for the child, and that means marriage. Fortunately we’ve got plenty of time to really get to know each other and work out some kind of feasible relationship before it is born. And once the baby is born...
who knows...the love we feel for it may draw us together faster than we could ever imagine. And all of that can only benefit us all in the long run, whether you and I stay married or not,” Matt finished firmly.

  “Okay, I agree it’s necessary for us to forge a sense of family—a foundation of mutual friendship and respect—for our child, and maybe our being married—at least in name only—and living under one roof is the way to do that. But what about the rest of it?”

  “Such as?” Matt prodded.

  “With a baby on the way, it’s more important than ever that I complete my education. Which means I can’t afford to miss a whole semester. I plan to enroll for the fall term, have the baby in mid-to-late September and go back to class as soon as possible after the baby is born.”

  “Wait a minute,” Matt interrupted. “Although I agree you should complete your education, I don’t think you should plan on going back fall semester. Taking care of a newborn baby is exhausting. It could be six months before the baby even sleeps through the night. And though I plan to do my share of nighttime feedings and diaperings, I won’t always be there, which means sometimes you’re going to have to get up.”

  Gretchen threw up her hands. “You see? We’re arguing already and we haven’t even applied for a marriage license. This is a bad idea, Matt. A very bad idea.” She pushed from the car and hurried up the walk.

  He caught up with her as she reached her door. The light above her door was on and he could see the tears shimmering in her eyes. He clasped her shoulders. “Gretchen—come on. We’ll work everything out. I promise. It’s a stretch for me sometimes, but I can be a very enlightened, nineties kind of guy.”

  She swallowed and her lower lip trembled, but she did not—would not—look him in the eye. “I know you mean well, Matt.”

  Mean well? He was fiercely possessive. That was his child she was carrying. “We’ll work everything out,” he soothed, stroking her hair. Somehow he would do what was best.

  She shook her head. The tears she’d been holding back spilled through her lashes and tumbled down her cheeks.

  Giving in to impulse, he wrapped his arms around her and folded her close. She was wearing the same perfume she’d had on the night they’d made love; the scent brought back a wealth of both erotic and tender memories. Matt knew he would not be able to let her go without at least trying to make this relationship of theirs work for the long haul.

  “It’s too complicated,” she murmured, her voice breaking as she burst into new tears.

  “No, it’s not.” Matt stroked her spine from nape to waist, welcoming the chance to hold her close, while she cried herself out. “It’s easy. I’ll do everything. Notify people and make all the arrangements for the ceremony. All you have to do is go with me to apply for a license and get a blood test.”

  Gretchen took a deep, shuddering breath and drew back to study his face. Tears still coursed silently down her cheeks. She regarded him with a woebegone expression. “What are we going to tell people?” she whispered.

  Matt shrugged. As far as he was concerned, that was the least of their worries. “That we met over Christmas and we’re going to get married,” he said nonchalantly.

  “Just like that?”

  Matt inclined his head to the side. “If they need further illumination, we’ll just tell them we’ve recently discovered we were meant to be together. And it’s true. Right now, we are.” Who knew what would happen in the long run, Matt thought wearily. So they would concentrate on the present and let the future take care of itself.

  Gretchen leaned against her front door, her arms folded in front of her. She was no longer crying. “What about the baby?”

  “We don’t have to go into that until you start showing. Unless you want to tell people now?”

  “No,” Gretchen said swiftly, her already heightened color darkening across her cheeks. “This is going to be hard enough as it is.”

  “Agreed.” Matt had the feeling news of their marriage was not going to be welcomed in all quarters, especially his own. “Then it’s settled.” Matt moved away from her and took a long, deep breath. “You’ll marry me?”

  Gretchen frowned. “It doesn’t look like I have any other choice.”

  * * *

  “GRETCHEN O’MALLEY?”

  Gretchen lifted a sack of groceries from her car trunk and turned in the direction of the low, distinctly Texan, distinctly cultured voice. “Yes.”

  “I’m Sassy Hale, Matt’s daughter.”

  The prelaw major at SMU. Gretchen smiled and extended a hand in greeting. “Matt’s told me a lot about you.”

  Sassy watched as Gretchen shut and locked the trunk of her car. Matt’s daughter was tall and athletic looking, with long, black hair. She was dressed in tailored gray slacks, a white cashmere sweater, suede jacket and tassled loafers. Preppy silver glasses rimmed her pretty and intelligent blue-gray eyes.

  Sassy followed Gretchen up the walkway to her door. “Dad told me the two of you are getting married on Saturday.”

  “Yes. At Cal and Marissa Stewart’s home here in Austin.” Gretchen unlocked the door and led the way in to her apartment.

  Sassy looked around. Gretchen thought she knew what Sassy was thinking. Her place was small and economically furnished.

  “Dad also mentioned you’d be keeping your apartment here after the marriage,” Sassy continued casually.

  Gretchen nodded, grimly aware that Sassy was hanging on her every move. She had been expecting the third degree from Matt’s nearly grown children. It would be a relief to get it over with. “It’s convenient to UT. And I’ll still need a place to study.”

  “I think it’s wise.” Sassy nodded solemnly as her voice dropped conspiratorially. “I mean, this was awfully sudden. Who knows if it will even work out?”

  Sassy, it was clear, was hoping it wouldn’t.

  Gretchen busied herself putting away the milk and orange juice and tried not to feel discouraged. “Marriage is always a risk.”

  “Precisely my point.” Sassy edged closer. “Which is why, Gretchen, I think you should definitely sign a prenup agreement with my dad. You know, stating you have no interest in the family money if or when the marriage dissolves.”

  Gretchen paused as a chill of foreboding ran down her spine. “Did your father send you here?”

  “No, of course not.” Sassy took offense. “You must know Dad is way too gallant to ever suggest such a thing.”

  Gretchen had hoped that was the case.

  “But if you love him...” Sassy’s expression gentled persuasively as she persisted. “If you really love him, then you’ll want to protect him and give us all some peace of mind.”

  “All?” Gretchen prodded, wondering just whom Sassy was speaking for now.

  “Luke, Angela and me. Fortunately, I’ve spent the past two summers working as a runner at a law firm here in Austin, and I know exactly who to contact about drawing up a simple prenuptial agreement for you and Dad. So what do you say, Gretchen?” Sassy edged nearer, her expression one of unbridled enthusiasm. “Shall we go and get this taken care of right away?”

  * * *

  “HEY, MATT. There’s someone named Gretchen in the office to see you.”

  “Thanks, Pete.” Matt wiped the grime off his face. Gretchen couldn’t have come at a worse time. After a day spent repairing and replacing parts on malfunctioning oil rigs, he was filthy and sweaty. He’d be lucky if she didn’t take one look at him and change her mind about marrying him.

  As he strode into the office adjacent to his Austin headquarters warehouse, he considered her comment about not minding if a man worked with his hands for a living. Now was as good a time as any to put it to the test.

  She was seated in a straight-backed vinyl chair, her posture as formal as the demure navy dress, stockings and heels she had on.

  “I’ve come at a bad time, haven’t I?”

  Hell, yes, Matt thought, zeroing in on the official-looking manila folder in her lap. “Not a
t all,” he lied. Aware of her eyes upon him, he walked over to the sink in the corner and turned on the spigot. Methodically he lathered soap to his elbows, then, aware of her eyes tracking his every move, scrubbed the skin-deep oil and grime off with a brush. “What’s up?” he asked casually, as if he couldn’t tell at a glance it was some kind of trouble.

  “I brought by a prenup for you to sign.”

  Matt dropped the brush. It hit the bottom of the sink with a clatter. He jerked the towel off the drying rack and pivoted toward her. “A prenup that says what exactly?”

  Gretchen averted her eyes from the towel he was rubbing over his forearms. “That we leave the marriage with the property we entered, that any children from the marriage will be shared jointly and without rancor. It also provides for a no-fault divorce if either of us becomes dissatisfied with the marriage.”

  His temper simmering at this unexpected—and unnecessary—development, Matt looped the towel over the rack and closed the distance between them in three long strides. He glared at the official-looking document in her hand. “May I?”

  Her hand trembling, Gretchen handed the folder over.

  Matt sat down at his desk and read the brief document in its entirety. Finished, he glanced back up at her face. “You really think this is necessary?”

  Gretchen nodded brusquely. She seemed to be holding his gaze with difficulty.

  “Your children are bound to feel less threatened if they know I have no designs on your money or your company.”

  “Uh-huh.” Matt rocked back in his chair grimly. “Who’s been talking to you?”

  Gretchen was silent. Pink color filled her cheeks.

  “It was Sassy, wasn’t it? You don’t have to answer. I recognize the name of the law firm she worked for last summer.” Matt grimaced and reached for the telephone. “I’m going to talk to her.”

  “Matt, don’t.” Gretchen was out of her chair before he could dial. She put her hand over his, effectively staying him. “It doesn’t matter who initiated this. I think it’s a good idea.”

  Matt resisted the urge to touch the soft, silky nape of her neck as he studied her upturned face. “You’re saying you want to sign it?”